DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-9 and 11-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ronay US20190056277.
Regarding claim 1, Ronay discloses a system (See Figs 27-31, Abstract) comprising: a liquid metal sensor (bladder-130, 140) including at least one trace (deformable conductor-132, 142); and a processor (Paragraph 0176, 0180) in electronic communication with the liquid metal sensor, wherein the processor is configured to perform AC-based resistive sensing of the liquid metal sensor (Paragraph 0177-0178). (Paragraph 0098, 0174-0189 and 0190-0199)
Regarding claim 2, Ronay discloses the processor (Paragraph 0176, 0180) is configured to measure geometrical modulation of an AC skin effect in the trace (deformable conductor-132, 142) of the liquid metal sensor (bladder-130, 140). (Figs 27-31, Paragraphs 0176-0177, 0193)
Regarding claim 3, Ronay discloses current flow is predominantly confined to a surface of the trace. (Figs 27-31. Paragraphs 0159 and 0179)
Regarding claim 4, Ronay discloses the processor (Paragraph 0176, 0180) is further configured to perform DC-based resistive sensing. (Paragraphs 0174-0180)
Regarding claim 5, Ronay discloses the processor (Paragraph 0176, 0180) is configured to detect tensile strain oriented axially along a direction of current conduction. (Paragraphs 0137, 0147, 0174-0180)
Regarding claim 6, Ronay discloses the processor (Paragraph 0176, 0180) is configured to detect compressive strain applied out of a plane of current conduction. (Paragraphs 0164, 0167, 0174-0180, 0194)
Regarding claim 7, Ronay discloses the trace has a diameter from 1 um to 10 cm. (Paragraphs 0015, 0070 and Figs 4A-4D)
Regarding claim 8, Ronay discloses the liquid metal sensor includes a gallium-indium alloy,InGaSn, an alloy of gallium, indium, and bismuth, or an alloy of gallium, indium, and cadmium. (Paragraph 0052, 0173-0180)
Regarding claim 9, Ronay discloses the at least one trace (deformable conductor-132, 142) is part of a network of liquid metal traces. (Paragraph 0082, 0100, 0115)
Regarding claim 11, Ronay discloses a method (See Figs 27-31 shows the sensor implementing the method, Abstract) comprising: receiving measurements of geometrical modulation of an AC skin effect in a trace (deformable conductor-132, 142) of a liquid metal sensor (bladder-130, 140); and performing AC-based resistive sensing on the measurements using a processor (Paragraph 0176, 0180). (Paragraph 0098, 0174-0189 and 0190-0199)
Regarding claim 12, Ronay discloses current flow is predominantly confined to a surface of the trace (deformable conductors -132, 142). (Figs 27-31, Paragraphs 0159, 0176-0177, 0193)
Regarding claim 13, Ronay discloses comprising performing DC-based resistive sensing using the processor (Paragraph 0176, 0180). (Paragraphs 0174-0180)
Regarding claim 14, Ronay discloses determining a mode and a degree of deformation of the trace (deformable conductors -132, 142). (Paragraph 0166, 0174-0180)
Regarding claim 15, Ronay discloses detecting tensile strain oriented axially along a direction of current conduction using the processor (Paragraph 0176, 0180). (Paragraph 0167, 0147, 0174-0180)
Regarding claim 16, Ronay discloses detecting compressive strain applied out of a plane of current conduction using the processor (Paragraph 0176, 0180). (Paragraph 0164-0167, 0174-0180, 0194)
Regarding claim 17, Ronay discloses the trace (deformable conductor-132, 142) has a diameter from 1 um to 10 cm. (Paragraphs 0015, 0070 and Figs 4A-4D)
Regarding claim 18, Ronay discloses the liquid metal sensor includes a gallium-indium alloy,InGaSn, an alloy of gallium, indium, and bismuth, or an alloy of gallium, indium, and cadmium. (Paragraph 0052, 0173-0180)
Regarding claim 19, Ronay discloses the trace (deformable conductor-132, 142) is part of a network of liquid metal traces. (Paragraph 0082, 0100, 0115, See Fig 38-39)
Regarding claim 20, Ronay discloses a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program configured to instruct a processor to execute the method of claim 11. (Paragraph 0111 and 0176)
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ronay US20190056277 in view of Bespalov et al US20060103389 (hereinafter “Bespalov”).
Regarding claim 10, Ronay discloses the system according to claim 1.
However, Ronay fails to disclose the trace includes parallel strands woven together. Bespalov discloses the trace (trace-212) includes parallel strands woven together. (Paragraphs 0045-0046)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to include the design of Bespalov into Ronay for the purpose of increasing detection accuracy. The modification would allow for reducing skin effect measurement errors.
Conclusion
The prior art as cited on the PTO-892 is made of record and not relied upon but considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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/NIGEL H PLUMB/ /Eric S. McCall/Examiner, Art Unit 2855 Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855
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